Senior Maguire Emswiler is one of the drum majors for the band. The drum majors help to lead the band by communicating with the directors on behalf of the other students, keeping the tempo going when marching and in the stands, and making sure students know what they are doing and how to improve. 

“While I’m in this position I hope to not only better myself as a person but also learn from my mistakes and become a better leader,” Emswiler said. “I also hope that I have set the example for underclassmen and shown what pride really looks like in this band program.”

The drum majors go through training before the school year starts. They learn about their duties as leaders.

“During training I learned that it was no longer about what we did as drum majors but what the band did and how well they looked,” Emswiler said. “I also learned that we are all going to fail and that is okay, but we must learn from those failures and better ourselves.”

With the changes in the band leadership, the drum majors have played a big role in helping the band adapt.

“I still knew how things needed to go in order for the program to run smoothly, but through this process I have learned that everyone has different styles and ways to do things and that is not always a bad thing,” Emswiler said. “I’ve also learned that more people look at me for answers and expectations because they might not know how the new director likes things.”

Being a drum major comes with a lot of responsibility. The band looks up to the drum majors for answers to questions and general guidance.

“I hope I leave this program better than I left it and that underclassmen will continue what we have given them and improve it,” Emswiler said. “I want them to have a vision similar to ours and make it better.”